at 18:00 (JST), February 28

 

20250228180000_english_1.mp3

Hello, and thank you for joining us on this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Raja Pradhan with the news from Tokyo.

A massive forest fire continues to burn in northeastern Japan. One person has been found dead since it erupted earlier this week. It could end up becoming the country's largest forest fire in more than three decades. Helicopters have been dispatched to Iwate Prefecture.
Officials say local fire departments, self-defense forces, and police are all involved. The fire broke out Wednesday and spread through the coastal city of Ofunato. About 1,200 hectares have burned since then, and at least 80 buildings have been damaged. Officials say they still don't know the full extent of the destruction.
The area has been going through a dry spell. The Japan Meteorological Agency says there was little snow and rainfall was less than a tenth of the February average.

Fallen leaves burned first in a forest fire, and these leaves were extremely dry. The risk of wildfires around Ofunato city was high.

It's forced hundreds in the area from their homes. Authorities say more than 800 people have taken shelter in evacuation centers.

早く戻りたい、そうなんですけど、その、どうやってこれから生活していこうかな。

NHK World's Hirata Miyu has been speaking with people affected by the disaster. She earlier told us about the conditions in Ofunato.

I'm across the bay from the fires. You can see a huge amount of smoke behind me.
We've been hearing lots of sirens as well as helicopters since we arrived. It's similar to the scenes we saw earlier this year during the wildfires in Los Angeles.
An area right near the coast being overtaken by flames, helicopters swooping into damp water. This is a very slow, difficult fight, especially with those dry, windy conditions.
Hundreds of people had to leave their homes over in that area,once the fires began closing in. Many have gone to evacuation centers, but a few are still around here watching what's happening from a safe distance. I spoke to some of them a short drive from here. A couple in their 70s told me they had to leave their house around 4 p.m. on Wednesday. They did not have much time to prepare. They just got out with essential documents and medicine as fast as possible.
Now, they say they they don't know whether their house has burned down or when they'll be able to find out.
They also didn't think this disaster would last this long. And we've heard a lot of stories like this from others. Many are elderly and had to leave on a moment's notice.
And this area is no stranger to disasters.
Ofunato was one of the worst hit places in Japan during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Over 500 people were killed or went missing here. Entire neighborhoods were swept away by the water. Those areas are still recovering almost 14 years later. Now, these fires are causing all new problems.
As for what's next,This is still a very active situation. Those dangerous, dry, windy conditions are forecast to continue into the weekend. Crews are fighting nature trying to stop this fire from spreading and threatening even more homes.

US President Donald Trump will soon meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the United States. The leaders are expected to sign an agreement on Ukraine's mineral resources.
Trump said Zelenskyy will visit the White House on Friday. Trump added they'll sign a historic agreement that'll make the United States a major partner developing Ukraine's minerals, rare earths, as well as oil and gases. He also expressed a willingness to realize an early ceasefire in Ukraine.

The next step we're making is toward a very achievable ceasefire. We hope that that can happen quickly.

Trump had previously denounced Zelenskyy as a dictator without elections when they failed to reach an agreement on Ukrainian minerals. Trump was asked by reporters Thursday if he still thinks the Ukrainian leader is a dictator.

Did I say that? I can't believe I said that.

A reporter also asked Trump if he'll apologize to Zelenskyy for calling him a dictator while praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said he expects he'll get along really well with Zelenskyy.

Trump is threatening to double the 10% tariff on goods from China next week if it does not do more to combat fentanyl trafficking.

The country should not be allowing those drugs to come into the United States of America, and we're not going to allow it to happen.

Trump announced the new tax on Thursday. It'll take effect on March 4, and it's on top of another 10% he imposed earlier this month. He accuses China of supplying a large amount of the fentanyl that flows into the US. He says China must stop or seriously limit this. The president says 25% levies on Mexican and Canadian goods will also start the same day as planned. Those tariffs had been paused for a month. He blames his neighbors for the drug flowing across the borders.
Trump notes reciprocal tariffs on all trading partners will start as scheduled on April 2.

Now, workers at the US Agency for International Development have packed up and left its headquarters in Washington.
They were told to leave as part of a cost-cutting measure by the Trump administration. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk heads the Department of Government Efficiency. He's questioned the transparency of USAID's operations and called for it to be shut down. The Associated Press says most of the workers have already been fired or put on leave. The administration gave them 15 minutes to clear out their desks.
The workers left the building carrying bags and cardboard boxes filled with their belongings.

Sad, powerless. We feel everything because it it happened so fast. They They did it in a way to for us not to react.

A crowd gathered in front of the headquarters to protest the administration's actions.

♪

All right, for more details, please do access the NHK World Japan website.

Next, Russian President Putin has met with a senior official of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party. The move appears to signal Pyongyang's importance to Moscow as they deepen military ties.
Putin held talks Thursday with the visiting secretary of the Workers' Party's Central Committee, Ri Hi Yong, at the Kremlin. Russia and North Korea concluded a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty last year. It requires each side to provide military and other assistance during times of emergency.
North Korea has dispatched troops to assist Russia's continuing invasion of Ukraine. The North Korean delegation also met with senior officials of the leadership of the ruling United Russia Party. The Russian side expressed appreciation for Pyongyang's support of their country's military operations.

South Korea's spy agency says the North has sent additional troops to Russia's western region of Kursk. Ukrainian forces there have been carrying out cross-border attacks. The National Intelligence Service said Thursday North Korean troops have been redeployed to the region since the first week of February. It says it's currently trying to determine the size of the deployment. South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted military officials as saying Pyongyang may have dispatched more than 1,000 additional troops to Russia.
Last month, Ukraine's military said it believed North Korean troops fighting for Russia in the region had been temporarily withdrawn. A Ukrainian soldier fighting in Kursk told NHK earlier this month North Korean soldiers had started returning to the frontline more than a week earlier, accompanied by new troops.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Sirsky, said in a social media post Thursday he visited Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk. He said Russian forces were attempting to break through Ukrainian defenses and seize three settlements. Sirsky stressed Ukraine's determination to resist. He said the Russian military's plan in these areas has remained unchanged for more than three years, but its losses continue to mount.

In other news, Singaporean media say three men have been charged with fraud over Chinese artificial intelligence startup Deep Seek's alleged acquisition of a US firm's advanced chips.
Reports say US officials are investigating whether DeepSeek evaded US export restrictions using third parties to buy semiconductors made by Nvidia. Singaporean media said Thursday local authorities had charged two Singaporeans and a Chinese national with fraud. Singaporean officials reportedly raided 22 locations on Wednesday, seizing documentary and electronic records. In late January, DeepSeek drew global attention when it said it had developed a powerful generative AI model at low cost.

♪

And it's time now for a check on the weather. People in much of Japan are enjoying spring-like conditions. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano is here to tell us how long this trend will last. Yumi?

In many cities, temperatures were as high as in April. Shizuoka experienced a high of nearly 20, the highest so far this year. Even Sapporo saw double digits for the first time in 2025. But this situation leads to a risk of avalanches. An advisory is in effect from Hokkaido to parts of Shikoku. In these areas, people also should watch out for landslides and flats due to melting snow. Temperatures will stay high over the weekend. The high in Tokyo may reach 19 on Saturday and Sunday. Niigata will see 14, which is as warm as in April. But a big temperature change is ahead of us.
Showers in Niigata will turn to snow on Monday. The high in Tokyo will drop to only 7 on Tuesday. Even Tokyo has a chance of snow. So please check out the latest weather updates.
Moving to Europe. A couple of low pressure systems are bringing stormy weather. One is impacting the Iberian Peninsula with windy conditions and another is moving to Turkey. There are risks of isolated thundershowers, lightning and gusty winds.
Finally, in Africa, we can see two storms on the satellite. One is affecting Reunion Island with gusts of over 200 kilometers per hour, and another is approaching southern Madagascar. The system is large and is expected to have an impact even without making landfall. A heavy rain warning is in effect widely across the west coast. In addition, there are risks of strong winds and high tides at least into Saturday. That's all for the weather. Stay safe.

♫～

That's all for now on this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Raja Pradhan, and in Tokyo, there is much more to come on NHK World Japan, so please, just stay with us.

at 18:00 (JST), February 27

 

20250227180000_english_1.mp3

Glad to have you with us on this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Raja Pradhan with the news from Tokyo.

We begin in Japan's northeast. Police say they've found one person dead while firefighters worked to contain a wildfire. Officials say at least 84 houses and buildings in Ofunato City have been damaged.
The remains were found in the Sanrikucho Ryori area. An NHK crew spoke to evacuees in Ofunato Thursday morning.

I am so distressed. I cannot sleep. It was like a volcanic explosion. The flames were rising in the sky with tremendous force. It was scary.

Police say the blazes started on Wednesday afternoon and spread in several parts of the city. More than 600 hectares had reportedly burned. Police and firefighters are continuing to search for anyone injured or missing. The city issued an evacuation order for all 2,060 people in Sanrikcho Rryori. Another 54 people in the Attari district were also ordered to evacuate. The city says as of Thursday morning, 540 people have taken shelter in evacuation centers.

I'll do my best to get the fire under control quickly. I stand by the people who are affected and will work to cast aside their concerns.

Dry air advisories have been issued for the southern coast of Iwate Prefecture, where Ofunato is located, for over a week. Firefighting efforts are ongoing around residential areas. Self-Defense Forces helicopters began aerial water drops Thursday morning.

An armed ethnic minority group in Myanmar says it's freed more than 7,000 foreigners from scam centers.
A large number of foreigners are believed to have been forced to work in scam operations in eastern Myanmar, near the border with Thailand. The group, called BGF, controls the area. It's launched raids on these centers, including one known as KK Park, on Wednesday.
The group says it's rescued 7,141 foreigners from scam centers since January.

You guys want to go home?

Yeah. You don't like this work before you want to go home, but they say that they can't pay money.

It says those rescued come from around 30 countries and regions. They include over 4,800 people from China, around 570 from Vietnam,More than 520 from India and 430 from Ethiopia.

The criminal group ran away with the help of other groups before we formed a special unit to carry out the operation.

A senior member of the BGF said few trafficked people remain at the centers.
He added the group will continue its search.

Japan's defense ministry says it spotted China's GJ-2 drone in the skies around Japan for the first time. The GJ-2 drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle with attack capabilities used for reconnaissance. The ministry says it flew over the East China Sea on Wednesday, and it detected another Chinese reconnaissance drone flying on a similar route. The drones passed between Okinawa Prefecture's main island and Miyako Island, en route to the Pacific Ocean. They then changed direction northeastward and reached an area east of the island of Amami Oshima. The craft later turned around and flew back toward China. In response, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter jets. The ministry says the Chinese drones did not violate Japan's territorial airspace.

US President Donald Trump has posted a video showing what appears to be his vision for the Gaza Strip. He previously said Palestinians should leave the enclave so it could become the Riviera of the Middle East.

Donald, it's not going to set you free, bringing the light

The 30-second video was posted on Trump's Truth Social account Tuesday.
It was likely created using generative AI. It begins with shots of war-torn Gaza before suddenly revealing a coastal resort. The video includes images of a giant golden Trump statue, US and Israeli leaders sunbathing, and shots of Palestinian children reaching for cash as it falls from the sky. Trump's idea has been widely criticized for violating international law. Some Gazans who've seen the video are not impressed. This man told Reuters news agency Gaza should be rebuilt with its people, not without them. Another said no one would be happy to leave their home, saying he intends to stay.
The video was posted as the first phase of the ceasefire nears its end.
Israel and Hamas are expected to complete the stage of the hostage detainee exchange soon. The identities of four bodies recently returned by Hamas have yet to be confirmed. This phase is due to end Saturday, but Israeli media say it may be extended by a week. A second phase would involve a permanent end to the fighting. A local TV station says those talks may begin in Cairo as early as Monday. Now, reports say the US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, may take part in those negotiations, but the talks are expected to be tough. Israel will likely demand the disarming of Hamas and the expulsion of its leaders in exchange for a full withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Trump says he's making good on the campaign promises he made to the American people. He's touting his success on border control and on talks with Russia and Ukraine. He made the comments during the first meeting with his new cabinet.

We put together a great cabinet and we've had tremendous success and we've been given a lot of credit for having a very successful first month, and we want to make that many months and years, actually.

Elon Musk joined the officials despite not being a cabinet member. He heads the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. He warned the US will become de facto bankrupt if leaders do not rein in spending.

The overall goal here with the DOGE team is to help address the enormous deficit. We simply cannot sustain as a country $2 trillion deficits.

Trump says he supports Musk's plan to conduct mass layoffs of federal employees. 

We're cutting down the size of government. We have to. We're bloated. We're sloppy. We have a lot of people that aren't doing their job.

Trump has been able to staff his cabinet at a quicker pace than in his first term. He's seen 13 officials assume their posts in a little over a month. In his first term, it took more than three months. for 15 to be approved by the Senate.

Ukraine and the United States have reached a broad agreement on jointly developing Ukraine's mineral resources.
And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees progress towards security guarantees he's been seeking over the deal.

Even in the framework agreement, I wanted for there to be at least a sentence mentioning security guarantees for Ukraine.

Ukraine has been pressing for US security pledges to prevent future attacks by Russia. Media reports say the final draft for the minerals deal includes the sentence, The government of the United States of America supports Ukraine's efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace. Zelenskyy also said it's important for his country not to be in debt. The United States reportedly has demanded rights to some of the huge revenues to be reaped from Ukraine's mineral resources. Zelensky said the draft does not contain such a claim.
Zelensky will visit Washington on Friday. He said the fact that Trump is meeting with him before sitting down with Russian President Vladimir Putin sends an important signal. At Wednesday's cabinet meeting, Trump called the deal he expects to sign with Zelenskyy a very big agreement.

In other news, Russia's ruling party has praised North Korea's support for the country's attack on Ukraine.
United Russia said Tuesday one of its senior officials met with a visiting delegation from the North's ruling Workers' Party. United Russia referred to an accord the two parties signed on interaction and cooperation seven years ago, saying much has changed in the world since then. It said Russians and North Koreans have become even closer.
The Russian side said it highly appreciates Pyongyang's support for what Moscow calls its special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian party also said it asked the North Korean side to join an international meeting on the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II to be held in late April.

♪

As we've been reporting, forest fires continue to rage in parts of Japan's northeast. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has more on the situation. So Yumi, what's the latest?

Dry conditions are a concern for much of the Pacific side of Japan. The city has received only 2.5 millimeters of rainfall this month. A dry air advisory is still in effect for eastern Iwate, including the city, and for many areas from Hokkaido to Kyushu.
Meanwhile, on the Sea of Japan side, a different situation is causing an issue.
Impacts from heavy snowfall are still continuing.
Buildings collapsed under the weight of the snow in parts of Niigata Prefecture, where nearly four meters had accumulated.
The snow is still disrupting travel, with local train services suspended Thursday due to snow removal. Fatal accidents have also occurred. Police said a man in Nagano Prefecture was killed after being buried under snow that fell from a roof. Officials are warning of avalanches and melting snow. Temperatures are likely to be higher over the weekend. Even Sapporo will see double digits. Niigata may see 14 on Saturday, which is as warm as in April. There are high risks of avalanches and flash flooding due to snow melting. The highs in Tokyo may hit 20 on Saturday and Sunday, but it's expected to drop to single digits next week.
Moving to Africa, we can see two circulating systems on the satellite. One is expected to move away from Madagascar, but another system is likely to approach southern parts of the islands over the weekend. The system is large and it's expected to bring impact even without making landfall. So heavy wind is likely from Thursday and there is a whisk of strong winds starting on Friday.
That's all for the weather. Stay safe.

♫～

Here's one more story before we wrap up.
It was crunch time for fruit buried beneath the snow in northeastern Japan.
It's a local practice to boost its sweetness.
Around 30 people gathered for an annual event Wednesday to dig up the winter treat in Aomori Prefecture. Heavy machinery was used to clear more than 4 meters of accumulated snow. Shovels were then used to remove the last snow around crates containing 30,000 bright red Sanfuji apples. They had been stored under the snow, where the temperature and humidity remained constant for about two months. These conditions boost their sweetness. The event took place at an elevation of about 750 meters in the Hakoda mountain range, with participants savoring the special winter delicacy.

Delicious. These are very sweet and the juiciness is completely different.

The apples will reach supermarket shelves across the nation starting on Thursday.

And that's all for now on this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Raja Pradhan in Tokyo.
Thanks for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), February 26

 

20250226180000_english_1.mp3

Hello, a very warm welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.

The number of births in South Korea has gone up slightly for the first time in nearly a decade, but the country continues to grapple with the challenges of having the lowest fertility rate in the world. The government's latest figures show the number of newborns went up 3.6% last year, and the annual fertility rate is now at 0.75, up slightly from the previous year. That's the number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime. Officials say the rise is partly due to a rebound in the number of people tying the knot after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In our survey on marriage and childbirth last year, more people are deciding to have children when they get married.

South Korea has had the lowest fertility rate of all the OECD countries for more than a decade. Last year, the government rolled out measures to encourage people to have more kids. It came after now-impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol called it a national demographic crisis.
For more on this, earlier I spoke with NHK World's Kang Na-young in Seoul.
What can you tell us about what's driving the increase?

As we heard earlier, the country saw a boost in marriages that were delayed because of the pandemic. But in my reporting, I have learned that attitudes are changing.
One matchmaking agency in Seoul told us that they are seeing more desire to have a family. In South Korea, marriage is traditionally an important step before kids.

Some members want kids and are looking to marry someone with the same thinking. There are those who don't want kids, but I think parenthood is a major priority for our members.

The agency says membership has gone up by 20 percent every year since 2021. But as the CEO said, they are still working with couples who don't necessarily want children. So that attitude does still persist.

So what have people in Seoul told you about why they are choosing not to have children?

We spoke to many people in their 20s and 30s, and many of them told us the biggest challenge is their financial situations.
We visited a community in Busan where young people who want to start a business can get support from the local government. Here's what they said.

I think I need time to discover myself. If people ask me when I'm going to get married, I say now is not the right time.

When I make enough money from my current job, I can start thinking about marriage. But until then, it's not on my mind.

It's no use asking young people to try and tackle the birth rate issue. We have too many other problems to deal with.

So as you can see, this is the reality for many people across the country. They can't even afford to think about marriage or kids until they have some level of financial security. One expert I spoke to says employment is a major factor.

The biggest reason for the low birth rate is job instability. I think young people choose not to marry or have kids until they find stable work. The government should implement measures to improve employment.

Some companies are implementing incentives. For example, one major construction company offers 100 million won, or about $70,000, to employees with one or more children.
Since 2006, the government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to deal with the problem. Some of that includes childcare benefits and providing housing to new parents,But there is still a long way to go.

Shareholders of US tech giant Apple have rejected a proposal to scrap the company's diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Many American companies have been reviewing their DEI initiatives following criticism by President Donald Trump. 
A conservative think tank submitted a shareholder proposal to terminate the programs to an Apple online meeting on Tuesday. It said that DEI poses litigation, reputational and financial risks to companies. Apple's board issued a statement recommending shareholders reject the proposal as unnecessary because the company has a well-established compliance program.
It said the proposalin appropriately attempts to restrict Apple from managing its own operations and business strategies. The proposal was later voted down. US media quoted Apple CEO Tim Cook as saying, The company's strength lay in people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives coming together to innovate and create something magical.

Trump says wealthy foreign nationals will soon be able to buy permanent residency in the US. For five million dollars, they will be able to get what he calls a gold card.
They'll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people, and we think it's going to be extremely successful.
The term gold card references the famous US green card. Green card holders are legal permanent residents who have met certain conditions. Gold card holders would get the same rights and would also have a path to citizenship. However, applicants would still need to pass government vetting. When asked if a wealthy Russian oligarch would be eligible, Trump said they could be.
He said some of them are very nice people. The card is expected to go on sale in about two weeks. Trump said he expects to sell a million or more.

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Son Yol has defended himself in his last hearing at the country's Constitutional Court. He argued that his imposition of martial law was legitimate.
The hearing on Tuesday was the last of a series of 11 on whether Yoon's impeachment is appropriate. Chon Chon Nae of the main opposition Democratic Party, the head of the National Assembly's impeachment panel, denounced the president.

Yoon Suk-yeol, standing in this impeachment trial, is the one who tried to erase the history of democracy. And violate the Constitution and the National Assembly, the heart of democracy.

In response, Yoon said he was simply exercising presidential authority.

I did not declare martial law to suppress the people with military power. It was an appeal to the people in the form of martial law.

The president also said that if reinstated, he would focus on foreign relations while shifting authority over domestic issues to the prime minister. He added that he would push for constitutional and political reforms.
South Korean media say the court is expected to hand down its ruling by mid-March.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has instructed military educators to train commanders for modern warfare by giving them real battlefield experience.
State-run Korean Central Television reported that Kim inspected a prestigious military academy that trains commanding officers on Tuesday. It quoted Kim as saying the current international situation in which war and bloodshed are common requires a country's armed forces to cope with war perfectly.
It also says Kim called for intensifying military practice centered education to ensure that all students learn about real modern warfare. He said this would give them the ability to command in battle.
Tuesday's visit was Kim's second to a military education institution in two days. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said Kim's remarks may emphasize the use of practical experience gained from dispatching North Korean troops to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Nation-building efforts are underway in Syria following the end of the decades-long rule by ousted President Bashar al-Assad and his father. The interim government has held a national dialogue conference on the country's future. The meeting was held on Tuesday, more than one month later than scheduled. About 500 people from various ethnic groups and religions across Syria reportedly participated. They came to discuss drafting a new constitution and reforming the judicial system. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharrah asked for unity, saying Syria has been returned to its people, and the country is calling on them to discuss its future. He also said Syria should reorganize its military and security forces.

The unity of arms and their monopoly by the state is not a luxury, but a duty and an obligation. Syria does not accept division. It is an integrated whole, and its strength lies in its unity.

He stressed his intention to disarm supporters of the former government as well as Kurdish forces, which continue fighting in northern Syria. Reuters News Agency says representatives of Kurdish forces did not receive invitations to the conference.

♪

Let's turn to our meteorologist Jonathan Oh for world weather. So Jonathan, it is still February, but it's suddenly warming up in some parts of Japan to feel more like not March, but even April. What's happening here?

Hello, after seeing the bitter cold that we've experienced over the past several days. We're seeing a big surge of southerly air coming in and that's helping to elevate those temperatures to feeling more like mid spring as opposed to what late winter. We are even seeing the big snowfall that's been taking place in the northern portions of Japan backing off might see a little bit for activity during the overnight period.
And then we go into Thursday and it's going to be dry up toward the north as well. We've been dealing with these low pressure systems developing up toward the north and east of the country.
That's going to slow down and back toward the West. High pressure is pushing in and again that's going to really push that warm air. We're talking about highs in the 20s in Tokyo coming up this weekend. That's how warm it's going to be getting. So I get the sunglasses, I guess at that point. Look at this Thursday 15 in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo getting a break from the snow high of 4 and even into Niigata at 10. Now I do want to point out because we're warming up so quickly, especially into the mountains, we could see some really quick snow melt that can lead to avalanches. So you want to take those precautions, maybe even listen to the experts in the area when it comes to trying to hit the slopes because of the possibility of those avalanches. And the snow melt could also lead to some concerns of localized flooding as well.
It's not just Japan getting the warm weather back toward the West. We have a couple areas of high pressure into China's on 19 in Chongqing, 14 in Beijing, Shanghai topping up at 15 for Thursday.

Warm weather is also part of the story over in North America, southern areas of the United States seeing temperatures really picking up. We got a little low that's just scooting by near the Ohio River Valley. So we're talking about some showers into Chicago as we go through the day on Wednesday. But I mean down toward the South temperatures are going to be into the 20s here from Atlanta into Houston and even to Los Angeles near 30 for the high as you go through day on Wednesday. Hope you have a good day.

♫～

And that is all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thank you for joining us on NHK World Japan.

at 18:00 (JST), February 25

20250225180000_english_1.mp3

Hello, welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo.

At least four people are dead after parts of a highway under construction in South Korea collapsed. Several more were injured. It happened just before 10 Tuesday morning, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul. Construction crews were working there at the time. The National Fire Agency says six people were injured, five of them seriously. Firefighters say they are assessing the extent of the damage and will investigate the cause of the collapse.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It passed despite opposition from the United States, highlighting its growing rift with Europe. The vote on the draft resolution took place on Monday, the third anniversary of the invasion. It was introduced by European countries, including France. 93 member states were in favor, but 18 others, including the US and Russia, voted against. 65 abstained.
A resolution adopted by the General Assembly is not legally binding.
The US also tried to submit its own draft resolution. Washington's version called for a swift end to the conflict without using terms critical of Russia.
For example, it avoided using the word invasion.

A resolution focused on one simple idea, ending the war. A path to peace is possible.

Russia called it a step in the right direction, though the US resolution failed to pass in the General Assembly.
However, it did pass at the UN Security Council. The US submitted the same draft resolution there. It passed with 10 votes in favor, including Russia's, France, and four other European countries abstained. US President Donald Trump says he hopes to soon reach an agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the rights to mineral resources in his country. He says it would serve as compensation for US defense aid.

I will be meeting with President Zelenskyy. In fact, he may come in this week or next week to sign the agreement. The agreement's being worked on now. They're very close to a final deal.

A senior White House official said last week that Trump was frustrated the two sides have not yet reached an agreement. He calls Zelenskyy a dictator without elections.
Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanyshcha says the negotiations between the two sides have been constructive, with nearly all the key details finalized and that they could soon sign an agreement in Washington.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said there are reserves in what he calls Russia's new territories or historic territories, referring to the four Ukrainian regions now controlled by Moscow. For more on this, I spoke to Amma Hideo, a former Moscow bureau chief and a senior commentator at NHK World.

Where does the conflict stand right now?

Well, Russia had hoped for a swift victory, but the war has racked on with slow advances. Russian troops claim around 20 percent of Ukrainian territory. At the start of this year, they intensified operation in the east, pushing Ukrainian forces back.
But both sides have suffered great losses and have over-slaged their resources.

Umm Now, Trump is pushing to end the war with a ceasefire with Russia. What do you make of this?

Trump has made a drastic turn in the US approach to the conflict and to the Kremlin.

Many agree that the ceasefire deal is essential, but Trump appeared to be doing so on Russian's terms, he has also ramped up criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which is another departure from the previous administration. Trump has vowed to protect the US national interests, and it appears he is trying to rely that by getting close to Putin and trying to pull the US away from its previous commitment to protect Ukrainian sovereignty.
Meanwhile, this has left Europe scrambling. The question now is whether Ukraine and Europe will take part in the negotiations.

Now, Zelenskyy said that he is prepared to resign in exchange for peace, or if Ukraine joins NATO. What can you tell us about that?

I can say that Ukraine joining NATO will likely be a major point of contention, making negotiations difficult. Russia, of course, is against it, because that will mean Ukraine's alliance with the West gets stronger. On the other hand, Zelenskyy believes it is essential to join NATO and obtain a guarantee of security. But joining NATO is a big hurdle. Trump has also said it's not practical.

Now, Hideo, you've spent decades covering the Kremlin. What is your sense of Putin's thinking here?

Putin has said that his expertise is in human relations. I think he means leading and manipulating people.
Trump appears to be making concession that favored Moscow, even falsely suggesting that Ukraine started the war.
And Putin has said that Russia is prepared to work with the US to develop critical resources in the annex Ukrainian treaty. Putin aim to hold on to the treaty Russia country occupies. But his ultimate goal is to install a pro-Russian president that will transform Ukraine into the subordinate state. And that will allow Putin a buffer zone in his dealing with the West. The US and Russia say they will hold a second round of high-level talks within two weeks, and depending on the outcome, this could be one of the biggest shifts in the global order since World War II.

An ethnic minority armed group guarding Myanmar's eastern border with Thailand is continuing its crackdown on one of the alleged crime hubs in the area. It has reportedly freed thousands of foreigners from fraud centers there.
The armed group BGF launched its raid on KK Park on Saturday. It is among several suspected hubs where thousands of foreigners are believed to have been forced to engage in scam operations.
Local mediareported that about 65,000 people had been set free from KK Park and other sites as of Monday.
The BGF is arranging for them to be moved to Thailand. An advocacy group says four Philippine nationals claiming to have fled a criminal hub swam across a border river into Thailand on Monday.
They were taken into protective custody by the Thai military. The BGF plans to continue its crackdown on Tuesday.
Members of criminal groups running the fraud hubs are said to be fleeing the sites. Since the 2021 coup in Myanmar, scam groups whose members come from China and other places have become active in areas near the Thai border.

US President Trump is praising Elon Musk's latest strategy to whittle down the public service. Musk had emailed every federal worker over the weekend, demanding they say what they worked on last week.
The tech billionaire heads the Department of Government Efficiency. He gave federal staffers until 11:59 p.m. Monday Eastern Time to respond.
They were told to provide a five-point summary of their recent work. If they didn't, Musk said their silence would be considered a resignation. Trump told reporters Monday that he thought it was a great idea.

I think it was actually there was a lot of genius in sending it. We're trying to find out if people are working, and so we're sending a letter to people. Please tell us what you did last week. If people don't respond, it's very possible that there is no such person or they're not working.

But not every department is playing along. The State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation reportedly told their employees they did not have to answer.
The president downplayed those reports.
He said they handle classified information and some employees should not say what they're working on. But confusion over the e-mail is continuing to spread. US media say the Office of Personal Management told federal agencies they're not required to respond.

♪

And it's time for world weather with our meteorologist, Jonathan Oh. Jonathan?

Hello. We're seeing a little bit of a taste of spring along the Pacific side of Japan as we're seeing temperatures warming up after seeing a lot colder weather this past weekend and really talking about plenty of snow along the Sea of Japan side of the country.
What we are seeing is a lift of a southerly flow that's coming in, really pushing up those warmer temperatures. And as we go toward the end of this week, as we head into the first couple of days of March, some places around Japan like Tokyo may be seeing 20s for highs.
So that's really going to be a big change coming up. So warm air really impacting the Pacific side of the country. We're still talking about snow way up toward the north in Sapporo high of 3 with some snow in the forecast for Wednesday. Niigata looking at rain instead of snow. But look at the highs around the Pacific side from Tokyo and the Osaka Fukuoka mid teens. And so it's going to feel definitely more like spring, and that's going to be the case at least through the weekend as we warm up before we start cooling back down to reality next week.

Meanwhile, we're still talking about winter along the northern areas of the United States. We have the big push of a low pressure system into the Pacific Northwest. That's going to bring some rain and some snow as you go through today on Tuesday.

Now, Speaking of warmth, southern areas of the United States seeing a real pushwarm temperatures here as high pressure really controls the region. Could use a break from all the rain that's been in the forecast and the weather pattern here. I mean Denver. Hello, 21 partly cloudy skies coming up on Tuesday.
Showers in the Vancouver, even Winnipeg.
You're going above freezing for daytime highs on Tuesday, but showers in Toronto into New York as we go through Tuesday.
In Europe, we have a low pressure system coming off the Atlantic into the western areas of the continent, and so we're talking about some rain from Lisbon into Paris. Rome also looking at some wet weather, but the eastern side of Europe, looking at some more sunny weather as we go through today on Tuesday.

Hope you have a good day wherever you are.

♫～

And one more story before we go. Sumo wrestler Hoshoryu says he is embracing the pressure that comes with the Yokosuna title ahead of the upcoming spring Gran Sumo tournament. It is the first event he will compete in as a newly promoted member of the sport's top rank.
The Mongolian-born wrestler spoke to reporters on Tuesday after the rankings for the tournament were announced.

It will be my first tournament as Yokozuna. I want to learn from the experience and feel the pressure of the Yokozuna title.

Hoshoryu added that he feels extra responsibility as the only Yokozuna at the event. He said he will be careful not to pick up any injury beforehand. The tournament will kick off on March 9 in Osaka.

And that is all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Yamamoto Miki in Tokyo. Thank you for joining us.

 

at 18:00 (JST), February 24 / Fushimi Inari Shrine

                                 

20250224180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Gene Otani in Tokyo.

Germany's largest opposition alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union has won the most seats in Sunday's general election. The center-right bloc is on course to lead post-election coalition talks to form a government.
The bloc's candidate, Friedrich Merz, is expected to become German Chancellor. He expressed hope to launch a new government by about mid-April during a TV appearance on Sunday. Germany's Election Commission has released ballot counting results that show the CDU, CSU, taking 28.6% of the vote. The Alternative for Germany Party, or AFD, won 20.8%. The anti-immigrant AFD is seen as being far right and not supportive of Ukraine. The party has gained double the share of votes compared to Germany's last election four years ago. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left Social Democratic Party captured 16.4% of the vote. Local media outlets say the results reflect a desire for change from the government led by Scholz and to end Germany's political gridlock.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is prepared to resign if it will bring peace to his country.
Zelenskyy made the comment during a news conference in Kiev on Sunday, one day before the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

If you really want me to leave my position and it will bring peace to Ukraine, I'm ready to do that.

Zelenskyy also said he would exchange his presidency for Ukraine membership in NATO. US President Donald Trump has called Zelensky a dictator without elections. He says Ukraine needs to hold a presidential vote. Zelenskyy spoke about conversations with the United States over its rights to access Ukraine's minerals. He said the initial plan Washington presented contained no security guarantees. Zelensky said US companies have interests in his country, and he asked the US why he cannot send its forces to Ukraine. He said he hasn't received a response.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's former deputy prime minister has welcomed the possibility of a Ukrainian mineral deal with the US as a good opportunity.

I think it will be a good opportunity to have, again, a strategic partner, a strategic investor in this area.

He expressed hope that the investments will bring stability to his country.

Cycle of such projects, it's quite long term. So having this US business, US side on the ground in such like large scale and long-term project means that probably they will secure also on this part of they will try to secure the investment.

Kubrkov also noted that Russian attacks have damaged Ukraine's energy sector. He said that's where Ukraine needs Japan's cooperation most, including to help reconstruct energy facilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked his soldiers who have fought in Ukraine, where he said Russia is achieving its goals.
Putin delivered a speech at the Defender of the Fatherland Day ceremony on Sunday.

We are achieving our goals thanks to your hard effort. You are the country's pride.

In a video released on Sunday, Putin said that amid rapid changes in the world, Russia has not changed its strategic course for strengthening and developing the armed forces. And he said the country will continue to build up the combat capabilities of its army and navy.

Japan and the Philippines have agreed to set up a framework for high-level dialogue to enhance operational collaboration. That includes joint drills between Japan's Self-defense Forces and the Philippine military.

you know

Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen. and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbelter Teodoro held talks on Monday. Nakatani said at the start of the meeting that defense cooperation is increasingly necessary as international tensions rise. He expressed hope to advance strategic discussions. The two ministers agreed to promote bilateral defense cooperationin the face of China's increasing military activities in the South and East China Seas.
They also agreed to discuss ways to protect their shared military intelligence. The two sides will also promote cooperation in defense equipment, including the export of a warning and control system from Japan. Tokyo will soon send a public-private team to the Philippines for this purpose.

We firmly agreed on the need to raise our cooperation and collaboration to a new level. We will do our best to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

We share also the common cause of resisting any unilateral attempt to reshape the global order without the consent of the participants of this global order and the attempt to reshape international law by force.

The two also reaffirmed the importance of coordination with the United States and Australia.

The Vatican says Pope Francis remains in critical condition, with blood tests revealing the pontiff suffering mild kidney failure.
The Vatican made the announcement on Sunday. The 88 year old Pope has been undergoing treatment for pneumonia at a hospital in Rome since February 14.
On Saturday, the Vatican said the Pope's condition deteriorated with asthma like symptoms, but on Sunday it said he had not experienced further respiratory crises. The Vatican said he would continue getting high flow oxygen therapy, but could take meals and attend a mass held at the hospital. So far there is no prospect of the pontiff being discharged.

We that believe in God, they believe in Pope. We are a little bit worried because it's it's important for us.

I believe the Pope will be able to return to his duties. I'm praying to God.

Many people were seen offering prayers near his hospital and at the Vatican's Saint Peter's Basilica.

Heavy snow has been blanketing a wide area of Japan, mainly along the Sea of Japan coast. People in the area are being advised to exercise caution when traveling. Weather officials say a winter pressure pattern and a strong cold air mass are causing intermittent snow in areas between the Tohoku and the Chugoku regions. As of 11:00 AM on Monday, snow was over 3.8 meters deep in Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture. It was nearly 3.3 meters deep in Okura Village, Yamagata Prefecture. Heavy snow can be expected even in areas that usually don't get much, such as central Kinki and low lying areas of Shikoku. Snow predicted for the 24 hour period through Tuesday morning. could reach up to 30 centimeters in Niigata Prefecture, the Hokuriku region, the Chiugoku and the Kinki region. Weather officials are calling on people to be on the alert for traffic disruptions, avalanches, snow falling from roofs, power outages and fallen trees.
Let's take a look at the weather in your part of the world.

♫～

And that's the news this hour. I'm Gene Otani from all of us here at NHK Newsline to all around the world. Thanks very much for joining us.

♬

Japan has various kinds of landmarks that fascinate visitors. They range from cultural and historic locations to modern buildings created with cutting-edge technologies. The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks brings you the stories behind these amazing places.
In this episode of The Backstory of Japanese Landmarks, we feature Fushimi Inari Shrine.
Kyoto served as the capital of Japan for more than a thousand years until 1868, when the capital was moved to then Edo, now Tokyo. When the imperial capital was moved from Nara to Kyoto in the year 794, it went by the name Heiankyo, which means the capital of peace and tranquility. The city was modeled after the Chinese Tang Dynasty capital of Changwang, and built on a grid pattern system. In fact, the streets of Kyoto today continue to follow this well-arranged grid. The Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its seemingly endless rows of vermilion torii gates, is popular among tourists from both Japan and abroad. It's less than 10 minutes by train or bus from Kyoto Station, or about a 35 minute walk. The shrine has a history of more than 1300 years. It serves as the headquarters for over 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan. As legend goes, more than 1,300 years ago, a deity was enshrined at Mount Inari. The mountain has since been considered sacred.
People express their belief by dedicating torii of various sizes. Another practice is engraving the deity's various names onto stones called otsuka and placing them on the mountain.
The most famous part of Shiminari Shrine is the thousand torii gates.
Torii are the gate-like structures at shrines. Although the size may vary, the torii is generally made of two pillars and a beam.
It stands on the boundary of the shrine's precincts and indicates that the area inside is sacred.
Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto has long rows of vermilion tori that seem to stretch on without end.
Inari shrines are dedicated to a deity popular among common people, representing good harvest, prosperous business, safety for the family, and the accomplishment of ambitions. The Edo period from the 17th century to the end of the 19th century was when much of the popular culture leading up to the present age took shape. It was during this period that people started offering tori to Inari shrines, hoping that their wishes would be fulfilled, or to give thanks when their wishes came true.
As the headquarters shrine, Fushimi Inari Shrine, received the most of these offerings,This is why there are nearly 10,000 torii gates in various sizes in the precincts. Particularly famous are the rows of torii called Sembom torii, or thousand torii, which lead to the main shrine building.
The endless torii make for a great photo background for tourists.
Fox statues are a common sight at Inari shrines. The foxes are believed to be messengers for the Inari deity.
Unlike actual foxes, these are imaginary creatures considered sacred and invisible. There are many scary stories about Inari shrines and foxes across Japan. Also, the sushi wrapped with deep-fried tofu is called inari sushi. This is because fried tofu is believed to be a favorite food of the sacred foxes. Inari shrines and foxes have long been a part of Japanese people's lives.
Thank you for tuning in to the backstory of Japanese landmarks. We hope you have a chance to visit these landmarks and see for yourself what makes them so special.

at 18:00 (JST), February 23

20250223180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard in Tokyo.

The United States has proposed a resolution at the United Nations on ending the war in Ukraine.
That is despite an earlier European-backed statement demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces.
The UN General Assembly will hold a special session on Monday, the 3rd anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The European Union and Ukraine produced a draft resolution that mentions a full scale invasion and demands that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw military forces from Ukrainian territory. By contrast, the US resolution calls for a swift end to the conflict but does not use invasion or other wording critical of Moscow. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the resolution is consistent with the views of President Donald Trump. He urged all UN member states to join the US.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Dyapkov reportedly said the top officials from the US and Russia will have a second round of talks within two weeks. The talks aimed at ending the conflict will take place in a third country.

The speaker of Ukraine's parliament says a team of experts will start working toward an agreement with the Trump administration over mineral resources and security assurances.
Ruslan Stefanchuk, who is close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, spoke with NHK in the country's capital, Kiev, on Friday. He said Zelensky had proposed to the United States to jointly develop Ukraine's rare earth minerals as part of his victory plan last September.
Stefan Chuk said that after Zelenskyy's meeting with US special envoy Keith Kellogg, the Ukrainian team will start from Monday working towards signing an agreement with the United States.

Ukraine is ready to work with partners on matters concerning the country's mineral resources, but we also want to receive specific security guarantees as well.

Now, regarding Trump's comment that Ukraine needs to hold a presidential election, Stefan Chuk said the country's laws clearly state that no elections can be held during martial law. He said it would be impossible to hold fair elections amid Russia's invasion, as the military could not participate.

I want a summit with the US to be held as soon as possible. It's important to have constructive discussions.

Stefan Chuk said that for the war to end, Russia must withdraw from Ukraine's territory and also be brought to justice and pay reparations to all those who suffered during the war.
And meanwhile, Trump says the United States is pretty close to striking the deal with Ukraine.

We're getting our money back. We're going to get our money back because it's not, it's not fair. We're asking for rare earth and oil, anything we can get.

The comment comes as Trump has lashed out at Zelensky, calling him a dictator without elections. This is apparently out of dissatisfaction that an agreement on mineral resources has yet to be reached with Kiev. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said in an opinion piece published in the Financial Times that the US has proposed that revenue received from by Kiev from natural resources and other assets be used to rebuild Ukraine. He added that Washington will have economic and governance rights in those future investments. Some US media say a deal could help ease tensions between the two leaders.

Germany holds its general election on Sunday. An anti-immigrant party is in second place in an opinion poll.
Attention is focused on how much the party will expand its support.
The vote is taking place following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ruling coalition last November.
The latest opinion poll by German public broadcaster ZDF shows that the largest oppositionThe center-right alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union is in the lead with 28% support.
The alliance's candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Metz, is viewed as a frontrunner for the German chancellorship. The alternative for Germany Party, or AFD, is at 21%. It takes an exclusionary stance toward immigrants and refugees and is deemed to be far right. Rascholz's center-left Social Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Greens, are facing an uphill battle, with their support rate hovering at around 15 percent each. Germans are concerned over how much of the vote the AFD will capture on the back of public dissatisfaction over the country's immigration policy. US entrepreneur Elon Musk, who holds a key position in the Trump administration, has repeatedly expressed his support for the party.
None of the parties are expected to secure an outright majority in the election. It is viewed as likely that the largest opposition will gain the most seats and lead negotiations to launch a coalition government. Each party refuses to form a coalition with AFD, so discussions are expected to exclude that party.

An ethnic minority militia guarding Myanmar's border says it is raided one of the transnational scam centers in the east of the country near Thailand.
It's believed that many people from around the world, including Japan, are being coerced into carrying out different fraudulent activities at these facilities. This footage of the scam site was taken in eastern Myanmar from the Thai side.
Laundry is drying on the balconies and many people seem to be living there.
Luxury cars can also be seen.
Thai media quoted a Myanmar militia called BGF as saying it had raided a site known as KK Park. Local sources say Chinese and other nationals suspected of orchestrating the scams have been detained. They add that some foreigners believed to have been confined at the site have been freed. It is unclear whether Japanese citizens are among them. KK Park is known as a human trafficking hub and a Center for online scams and other offenses. In recent years, it has apparently served as a base for Chinese criminal gangs that are increasing their illicit activities.

And snow continues to fall along the Sea of Japan coast due to a strong cold air mass. More snow is expected through Monday between Hokuriku and the Chugoku region. Heavy snow is also expected in the inland areas of the Kinki and Shikoku regions. The Japan Meteorological Agency says a winter pressure pattern and a strong cold air mass are bringing intermittent snow to areas along the Sea of Japan coast. The agency says accumulated snow has exceeded the annual average in many places. Now, as of 11:00 AM on Sunday, snow had reached a depth of 5.08 meters in the Sakai area of Aomori Prefecture in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture. The snow reached 1.6 meters, the deepest since record keeping began. The winter pressure pattern is expected to continue till Monday. causing snow to intensify in areas between the Hokuriku and Chugoku regions from Sunday night to Monday morning. Now, heavy snow is also expected in the inland areas of the central Kinki and Shikoku regions, where snowfall is usually light.
Snowfall during the 24-hour period through Monday morning could reach 70 centimeters in Niigata Prefecture and 50 centimeters in the Tohoku, Kinki and Hokuriki regions. Weather officials are urging people to be on the alert for traffic disruptions, avalanches, snow falling from roofs, power outages and fallen trees caused by snow.
And those are the top stories for this hour.

♫～

And that's a wrap for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard. Thank you very much for joining us.
 

at 18:00 (JST), February 22

20250222180000_english_1.mp3

Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard in Tokyo.

Japanese weather officials are warning people in Ishikawa Prefecture that includes the Noto Peninsula to be on the alert following the latest snowfall.
The peninsula was hit by a powerful earthquake last year, and the officials say the snow load could cause damaged homes and buildings to collapse.
Officials say a powerful cold air mass and winter pressure pattern brought heavy snow mainly to the Sea of Japan coast. As of 2:00 PM on Saturday, the snow level in the village of Sumon in Niigata Prefecture was over 3 1/2 meters and in the town of Hiji-ori in Yamagata Prefecture, more than 3 meters.
The officials say there's also a risk of heavy snow in low-lying areas around the Kinki region, including Kyoto Prefecture, where snow is usually scarce. Over the next 24 hours to noon on Sunday, more snow could pile up, mainly along the Sea of Japan. Now, weather officials are calling on people to be on the alert for traffic disruptions, avalanches, power outages and fallen trees. They're also advising the public to consider changing their travel plans or routes during the three-day weekend.

And Saturday marks 14 years since a massive earthquake in New Zealand claimed the lives of 185 people, including 28 Japanese nationals.

Remembering the moment the earthquake struck at 12:51 p.m., exactly 14 years ago.

Bereaved families attended a memorial ceremony service at Christchurch.
The names of all who died were read out.

Well, it it doesn't get easier. You tend to think more about what they did and who they were.

A memorial service was also held at a school in Japan's Toyama City. Twelve students from the school died in the quake while attending language training in Christchurch.

On this day, every year, I feel pain and can't bear it.
I see my daughter in my dreams many times a year, and I wake up hoping it's not a dream. I want to see her, that's all.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles says live fire Chinese naval drills have forced commercial airlines to reroute. He says Beijing failed to give his country proper notice.
The drills occurred in international waters between Australia and New Zealand.
Marles told local radio on Friday that China announced at short notice earlier in the day that it would be holding them.
Now, Emirates and Qantas airplanes were forced to adjust their routes while flying over the waters. Marles acknowledged that military exercises in the high seas do not violate international law, but he also lamented China's sudden announcement. He said Australia tries to give 12 to 24 hours notice so airlines can plan around drills. In Beijing, a foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters the Chinese Navy had sent a fleet on far sea training. He said the drills were carried out in a safe, standard and professional manner and in accordance with international law and practice.

Now, six weeks after massive wildfires erupted in Los Angeles, the mayor has sacked the city's fire chief over her handling of the disaster.
Karen Bass said at a news conference that the fire chief, Kristen Crowley, failed to mobilize 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty the morning the fires broke out. The mayor also said Crowley refused to do an after-action report as requested by the department's fire commission. The wildfires, the swept a suburb in Los Angeles on January 7, killed 29 people, burned more than 200 square kilometers and damaged over 18,000 structures.
Crowley appeared in TV interviews shortly after the fires broke out. She described her department as understaffed and underfunded, criticizing the mayor implicitly. The Los Angeles Times reported that the mayor has been facing questions around not just the city's preparation for the hurricane force winds and accompanying wildfires, but also the management of the crisis since then.

US President Donald Trump is tightening the pressure. on Ukraine, he wants Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign a deal that would give the US access to its natural resources, and a senior White House official says he expects that to happen sooner rather than later. Trump used the White House events event to once again urge Ukrainian leaders to sign the deal.

They don't have any cards, but they play it tough. But we're not we're not going to let this continue.

The agreement calls for Ukraine to give the US access to critical minerals as compensation for defense aid. Trump this week denounced Zelenskyy as a dictator and warned him of the need to move quickly to secure peace with Russia. And he lashed out in a radio interview that he doesn't think it's important for Zelenskyy to attend peace talks. Trump also said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted, he could get all of Ukraine. Now, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz called his boss the president of peace.
He says only Trump can bring about an end to the war.

Here's the bottom line. President Zelenskyy is going to sign that deal. And you will see that in the very short term. And that is good for Ukraine.

Waltz suggested that the minerals deal was first proposed by the Ukrainian president last year as part of his so-called victory plan. Zelenskyy posted on social media about the importance of US support, adding that strong and lasting peace can only be achieved through unity.

Japanese police are urging visitors from abroad to drive rental cars safely. They are concerned about the rising number of traffic accidents involving foreign drivers around Mount Fuji. At a rental car firm in the town of Fujikawa Guchiko on Friday, police handed out foreign language Flyers explaining Japan's traffic rules.
The Flyers have a QR code that can be scanned to show locations of traffic accidents involving foreign drivers.

It's quite difficult to find a taxi in this Fujikawa Guchiko area, so it's much, much easier for us to get a rental car.

And the officers then took the officers then took their campaign to a park in Fujiyoshida City.
The site is popular among foreign tourists for his view of Mount Fuji and a five-story pakoda. Police in Yamanashi Prefecture say that last year about 770 accidents in the Fuji-Hokuroku region north of the mountain involved rental cars driven by foreigners. The number was a 10-year high.

We want foreign drivers to follow Japanese traffic rules and make efforts to drive safely. Local residents should keep in mind that many foreign drivers are not familiar with the laws here.

And those are the top stories for this hour.

♫～

And that is a wrap for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Ramin Mellegard. Thank you very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), February 20

20250220180000_english_1.mp3

 Welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sachno.

US President Donald Trump has weighed in on the threat posed by nuclear weapons. He says countries, including Iran, should not be allowed to get them.

The power is so enormous. You look at Hiroshima, you look at Nagasaki, The world would be destroyed. So you want somebody as your president, or you want somebody as your leader that understands that, we just can't let that happen.

Trump also said Russia has by far the biggest nuclear arsenal, and that China's will be close to it in three to five years. He said he'd had positive talks on nuclear arms reduction with both countries during his first term. He's shown willingness to pursue those efforts since his second inauguration.

Tensions between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are ramping up. Trump has called Zelenskyy a dictator for not holding elections during the war.

He refuses to have elections. He's low in the real Ukrainian polls. I mean, how can you be high with every city is being demolished.
A dictator without elections. Zelensky better move fast or he's not going to have a country left. Got to move, got to move fast because that war is going in the wrong direction.

Ukraine has been under martial law since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022, with elections suspended. Leaders across Europe were quick to condemn Trump's remarks. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on social media that it's dangerous to deny President Zelenskyy his democratic legitimacy. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed Zelenskyy, with his office saying it was reasonable to suspend elections during wartime, as the UK did during World War II.
The Trump administration has upended US-Ukraine relations in recent days.
Earlier this week, Trump blamed Ukraine for starting the war. He also questioned the legitimacy of Zelensky's rule, claiming his approval rating was at 4%.
The Ukrainian leader pushed back.

Unfortunately, President Trump. I have great respect for him as a leader of a nation that we have great respect for.
The American people who always support us. Unfortunately, he lives in a disinformation space.

Recent polling in Ukraine suggests 57% of people trust the president. In the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, citizens expressed skepticism about Trump's claims.

I don't believe it. I personally support him 100%. He was able to unite our country in such a difficult time.

Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be welcoming closer ties with Trump.
Earlier this week, Moscow and Washington officials held talks aimed at ending the war and laying the groundwork for a possible summit between the two leaders.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a second round of talks with other European leaders to discuss Ukraine. Macron says the leaders are convinced that their countries must increase their defence and security capabilities. He says they'll make a decision on that in the coming days and weeks.
Macron invited European leaders, including from the Baltic states, along with Norway and Finland, and NATO member Canada, which did not take part in the first meeting on Monday. Many participants attended the second meeting online. After the talks, Macron posted in his social media that Europe and US President Donald Trump have the same objective to end the fighting in Ukraine. He said the participants agreed to continue supporting Ukraine and take responsibility to ensure peace and security in Europe. He stressed that Ukraine must be included in the efforts to achieve peace.

The Trump administration has halted the approval of a congestion toll in New York City. US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy made the announcement on Wednesday, citing concerns about the burdens on residents, businesses and commuters.
On social media, the White House posted an image of Trump wearing a crown with the caption, Congestion pricing is dead and New York is saved. New York Governor Kathy Hochul opposed the move, taking aim at the Post.

We are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington. So this is the fight we're in. It's all about our sovereignty.

The program, introduced last month, was designed to reduce traffic in Manhattan's central business district. Hochul had reportedly sought to gain federal approval before the start of Trump's term.

Members of a Chinese crime syndicate based in Myanmar have been tried at a court in eastern China. Prosecutors say the group had engaged in gambling and scams worth more than $1 billion.
China's Xinhua news agency reported that the public trial for 23 members of the large-scale crime syndicate concluded at a court in Zhejiang province on Wednesday. Prosecutors said the syndicate and related groups have several thousand members and its illegal transactions have raked in more than $1.37 billion since 2015. The group is also linked to the deaths of 14 Chinese nationals. Chinese authorities have stepped up cooperation with their Myanmar counterparts. Since 2023, they've cracked down on phone scams and other crime in northern Myanmar, bordering China, and more than 53,000 Chinese suspects have reportedly been detained. Scam compounds operated by Chinese and other nationals have also flourished along Myanmar's border with Thailand, with foreign nationals trafficked and forced into crime. Beijing has said it's ready to cooperate with Myanmar and Thailand to address the situation.
As more people are being freed from these scam centers, stories of coercion and abuse are emerging. Foreigners, including Japanese teenagers, say they were tricked into becoming part of a multinational criminal operation, as we see in this report.

260 people crowd a location on the Thai Myanmar border waiting to be taken to safety in Thailand, just a portion of the estimated thousands of foreigners who have been allegedly made to work as fraudsters.
Held in captivity by criminal gangs in a part of Myanmar that's plunged into anarchy in recent years. Areas where the country's military junta has lost control, where armed ethnic minority groups have gained ground, and illegal operations are thriving.
In places like this,A Thai citizen group provided us this photo, showing the inside of a scam center where foreigners say they were forced to defraud people by phone and over the internet.
People like this man from Taiwan, who says he was tricked by an overseas job posting, but what he thought was a career opportunity turned into a nightmare.

I was in handcuffs and beaten. All my things, including my smartphone, were seized. I was warned not to even think about running away because landmines were scattered all around.

In these conditions, he says he was forced to commit fraud from early morning till late at night every day.
A similar story is being told after two Japanese teens were recently rescued from what are believed to have been separate scam centers. One of them told investigators he was given a job offer by a person he met through a chat group.
He flew to Thailand in December before ending up in Myanmar, where he reportedly made fraudulent calls to Japan, sometimes posing as a police officer.
If he failed to make quotas, he says he was punished with a stun gun.
This month, the boy managed to get in touch with his family and ask for help.
sending them his location. Thailand took him into protective custody last week. This was one of the soldiers who was there to meet him when he made his way across the border.

The boy crossed the river by boat. He was wearing a cap and sunglasses, so I couldn't see his expression. We watched over him carefully, making sure he got across the river safely.

Japanese police say the teenager has returned to his home country, but he also told investigators he witnessed other Japanese nationals who had been forced into fraud.
Thailand says it's doing all it can to safeguard the release of foreign nationals held by the scam gangs.
But with chaos reigning across the border in Myanmar, just how long it will take to get everyone out is anyone's guess.

A Tokyo exhibition is featuring previously undisclosed photos capturing the aftermath of a 1945 air raid on the Japanese capital during World War II.
The display opened on Saturday at a museum in eastern Tokyo before the 80th anniversary of the March 10th, 1945 US bombing. There are 53 exhibits with maps and drawings by survivors also on display. Among them are photos provided by a local studio which have been made public for the first time.
The bombing scorched a massive swathe of Tokyo and is believed to have killed some 100,000 people. The photos taken on the ground capture the aftermath of the air raid. One appears to have been taken near burning houses in what is now the southern part of Sumida Ward, which was devastated.

In this exhibition, we worked on providing materials that would help people gain deeper insight into survivor testimonies. These photos are evidence of what people saw, what people faced, and lead us finally to imagine the details.

The event runs through May 25.

♪

Please do access the NHK World Japan website for more details.

Now it's time to check out the weather. A cold wave has been continuing since the beginning of this week, and its impact is not limited to heavy snow. Our meteorologist Yumi Hirano has the details.

Due to the long-lasting snowfall, traffic disruptions are starting to affect even western Japan. Meanwhile, on the Pacific side, dry conditions are an issue.
Parts of Tottori Prefecture had more than 50 centimeters of snow in 24 hours.
The prefecture reported a truck became stuck on a snowy highway, temporarily stranding 25 vehicles.
Meanwhile, in Iwate Prefecture, hundreds of firefighters and self-defense forces are battling a forest fire that broke out on Wednesday. Officials warn that dry conditions may lead to fires. A dry air advisory is still in effect for eastern Iwate, and dry conditions continue in many other areas along the Pacific side, so people should watch out for fires. On the other hand, heavy snowfall due to a winter pressure pattern is expected to continue along the Sea of Japan side, so up to 60 centimeters of snowfall is possible in Tohoku by Friday evening.
The same weather pattern will persist into the holiday Monday. Tokyo and Osaka may see sunny and cold weather with highs of 10 or below. Snow along the Sea of Japan side is expected to be heavier, especially on Saturday and Monday.
Moving to Europe, a low-pressure system is now approaching the British Isles. It's expected to bring heavy rain and windy conditions, with gusts of over 100 kilometers per hour. In the front of the system, strong southerly winds are flowing, leading to spring-like weather. So the temperatures in London and Paris will be 12. People in Lisbon may see 19, which is as warm as in April.
That's all for the weather. Stay safe.

♫～

That wraps up this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Kanako Sachno in Tokyo.
Thanks very much for joining us.

at 18:00 (JST), February 19

20250219180000_english_1.mp3

From our studios in Tokyo, this is NHK Newsline. I'm Ross Mihara.

A court in western Japan has sentenced some man to 10 years in prison for an attack targeting then Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in 2023.
25-year-old Kimura Ryuji was charged with attempted murder after throwing an explosive device toward Kishida during a campaign visit in Wakayama Prefecture.
Kishida was unharmed, but two others were injured. Prosecutors had demanded a 15-year jail term, claiming that Kimura knew the explosive was lethal. Kimura's lawyers sought three years, saying the defendant had no intention of causing harm, but instead was trying to gain attention. The presiding judge at the Wakayama District Court ultimately ruled in favor of prosecutors, citing experts who found that the homemade explosives were deadly. She said that Kimura's actions contributed to a greater feeling of unease across Japan.

A book containing the names of thousands of Japanese Americans sent to internment camps during World War II will be exhibited around the United States.
The book is normally displayed at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. It includes the names of over 125,000 people who were incarcerated as hostile aliens. This was the result of an executive order signed by then US President Franklin Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. The museum's president and CEO spoke at a ceremony marking the start of the book's national tour. She said the internment of Japanese Americans should serve as a warning about failed leadership and justice.

The importance of history is for a nation to understand its past, not just for the sake of understanding its past, but to be able to learn from the lessons of history. Because it's those lessons of history that are so important in informing the present and shaping the future.

I think it will help, educate people outside of Japanese descent about the stories and about the struggles and about the resilience of Japanese Americans.

The book will be displayed at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. starting on Wednesday. It will then be taken to eight states that hosted internment camps during the war. The tour will last through July of next year.

US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence in the progress of talks between the US and Russia to end the fighting in Ukraine. Officials from the two countries met in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. They agreed to establish high-level teams to continue negotiations. Trump was asked whether he is more confident about a deal after Tuesday's talks.

Well, much more confident. They were very good. Russia wants to do something.

Trump said that Ukraine has had chances to negotiate for three years and for a long time before that, and the conflict could have been settled very easily.
Citing multiple foreign diplomatic sources, Fox News reported that forcing Ukraine to hold new elections could be a key part of a peace deal. Ukraine has postponed elections, citing the imposition of martial law due to the Russian invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made statements questioning Zelenskyy's legitimacy as leader.

Wouldn't the people of Ukraine have to say, like, you know, it's been a long time since we've had an election?
That's not a Russia thing. That's something coming from me and coming from many other countries also.

Meanwhile, Reuters news agency reported that Trump said he will probably meet with Putin before the end of this month.
However, the officials attending Tuesday's talks said no date has been set for US Russia summit.

People in Germany will cast ballots on Sunday after the ruling center-left-led coalition collapsed last November. The Alternative for Germany, or AFD, often described as far right, is gaining ground in the polls. Supporters say the party is safeguarding their future, while critics say it's evoking Germany's dark past.

As Germans gear up for snap parliamentary elections, the AFT is rallying thousands to its side, people attracted by its promise to make Germany great again.
To do that, the party argues it must tighten its borders and send many migrants lacking refugee status back to their countries of origin.

Our fatherland has gone into a blatant imbalance.
No problem drives people as much as having to watch our cities become increasingly unsafe.

It's a platform boosted by conservative figures abroad, including Elon Musk, who spoke during last month's rally.

I'm very excited for the IFT, and I think I think you're really the The best hope for Germany?
It's good to be proud of German culture, German values, um and not to lose that in in some sort of multiculturalism that that dilutes everything.

So-called far-right parties have been surging in popularity across Europe. But the AFD's rise is especially dramatic for a country that has long championed itself as a safe harbor for refugeesIncluding over a million from Syria and other places.
Recent attacks by asylum seekers, including a fatal car ramming just last week in Munich, have fueled discontent over Germany's immigration policies.

Our cities, our parks, our schools. There are no safe areas anymore. It's time for change. It's impossible to keep going like this.

Despite apparently doubling its support base in just the last four years, the AFD remains on the political fringe. Germany's intelligence agency has recognized the party as ultra right. Some of its regional groups have been accused of inciting discrimination against Muslims. Some of its politicians have been accused of speaking favorably about the Nazis.

Hello.
Hello Nice to meet you.

But the AFD's co-chair tells NHK their supporters know what the party is really about.

More of our citizens see who really represents the interests of Germany, especially ordinary workers, and those who create value. Sooner or later, the AFD will form a government.

But it's not expected to do it this time around. The center-right Christian Democratic Union is projected to lead the talks, forming the next coalition government. It says the AFD will not be included.
That doesn't mean it won't have influence, however. Last month, the AFD helped the CDU and other opposition parties push legislation tightening immigration rules.

Ladies and gentlemen, we owe it to the people to do all we can to limit illegal immigration, to take asylum seekers who are obligated to leave the country into custody, and to deport them.

Local media reported that a long-held taboo against cooperating with the far-right had been broken.
But Germans are far from unified on this sea change. About 160,000 rallied against the resolution.

We want to continue to live in a diverse and democratic society.

We can't let what happened when the Nazis took power in 1933 happen again.

Analysts say if the next government fails to stabilize the growing divide, it will only strengthen the AFD.

If it acts as disastrously as the last coalition has, it's quite possible that four years from now in the next election, the AFD won't just have grown, it may even become the strongest party.

No longer the alternative for Germany, but the main choice for Germans fed up with politics as usual.

Japan's top prosecutor says prosecutors plan to expand the practice of recording audio and video of interviews with suspects. The move is aimed at improving criminal investigation methods at a time when cases of inappropriate questioning have repeatedly surfaced.

It's deeply concerning that the current way of questioning has become a focus of various criticisms. Inappropriate use of authority can never be tolerated. And even if the deposition obtained through such a process is true, it damages the fairness of the prosecution organization and it cannot be positively evaluated.

Prosecutor General Unemoto Naomi suggested at a meeting of senior prosecutors on Wednesday that some interviews of people who have not been arrested will also be recorded on a trial basis. She also told the participants to thoroughly instruct prosecutors to maintain composure and speak and act properly during interviews. Currently, recording of the questioning of suspects who have been arrested or detained is legally mandated if the case is being handled in a lay judge trial or a prosecutor's independent investigation.
The prosecution has also recorded over 90% of interviews of other suspects who were arrested or detained whose cases were not subject to the rule.
Inappropriate questioning by prosecutors has also been identified in interviews that suspects agreed to give on a voluntary basis.

Japan's National Police Agency says it has identified 11 Nigerians who are suspected to have swindled large amounts of cash from Japanese people in online scams. Agency officials say they traced the money from romance and investment scams targeting people in Japan from 2022 to 2023. The agency was working with Nigerian authorities. The Nigeria-based gang allegedly sent direct messages on social media claiming to be doctors and even astronauts. They allegedly scammed 14 Japanese people of around 150 million yen, or $990,000, under the guise of marriage expenses or investment.
The agency also says nine Japanese nationals are suspected to have been paid by the gang to convert the swindled cash into crypto assets. Losses from such online frauds totaled nearly 127 billion yen, or $830 million in 2024 in Japan. The agency suspects that criminal gangs based in West African countries fund themselves through such scams.

Meteorologist Jonathan Oh has the latest on record-breaking snow in northern parts of Japan.

Hello, we've been telling you about the heavy snowfall that was going to be impacted in northern areas of Japan, extending over into central portions of the country, and that certainly has unfolded from Sapporo way over into portions of Shiga Prefecture.
Here's a look at some of the video to give you an idea of the situation as in record-breaking amounts for February, parts of Sapporo saw 46 centimeters of snow falling in just 12 hours, and parts of Niigata Prefecture also received more than one meter in two days.
Residents have expressed fatigue from shoveling day after day since the snowstorms started earlier this month.
Authorities in Shiga Prefecture reported that cars and vehicles became stranded on slippery roads, disrupting traffic. And while the peak of the heavy snow has passed in the central portions of Japan, officials are expecting the winter weather to continue. We still have this pattern where the low is located to the east and the high located back toward the West, and that helps to really usher in that really frigid air from the north.
And as it continues to flow down, we are talking about more of that snow to take place, maybe not in as a voluminous amount as we saw from Tuesday night into Wednesday, but it will continue to be a big part of the story going forward in time. Sapporo into Niigata, looking at some snow, cold air with that chilly wind. If you've been out and about in Tokyo, you felt it. It felt like midwinter 9 for the high with partly cloudy skies coming up on Thursday. So that means you need to bundle up once again as we go into the next day.
Speaking of some snow, we had some really messy weather down toward the southern plains into Oklahoma City where ice and snow just made it a horrible mess on the ground and all that cold air is now pushing toward the east which means we're looking at a snowy and even icy mess possibilities from the mid-south over into the southern portions of the Mid-Atlantic states. So you need to make sure that you adjust your plans accordingly because it could really become a problem the roadways. Chicago looking a high of -10 with some snow, DC at -3 and snow into Toronto as well with a high of -7 on Wednesday.

Hope you stay safe wherever you are.

♫～

I'm Ross Mihara in Tokyo. Thanks for joining us on NHK Newsline.